The Neonate in Need
by cmf227
Summary: This is my first attempt at fanfiction! Be kind... Booth, Brennan and the squints work a unique kidnapping case. Read and review, tell me if you want to read more!


Author's Note: This is my first stab at writing fanfiction. It's daunting, putting something on here with all of these amazing stories. So be kind. But honest!! And let me know if you want me to continue this. Oh, and I don't own Bones. Obviously.

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Louise Greenburg walked around the neonatal intensive care unit slowly, checking 'her' children. She had been the primary nurse on the unit for five years, working her way up from the pediatrics wing, to the specialty of neonatal nursing, to being head honcho in the place in the hospital where the most vulnerable residents lay. She loved her work – it had become her life. She dedicated herself to these babies, these tiny lives, and the families that loved them. There was nothing she liked more than a day one of the children finally got discharged. Sure, it was bittersweet, but they were going out into the real world, to start their lives. It was important to let go.

Louise ambled past each isolette, quickly looking at the monitors of each child to make sure nothing was awry. She passed babies with congenital heart defects, those that had been diagnosed with trisomy 21, and those who had simply been born too early. Monitors beeped a soft cadence that defined life in the unit. Louise reached the end of the row, looked in the last isolette and the rocking chair that sat beside it, and the bottom fell out of her world.

()()()()()()()

Seeley Booth pulled into the parking lot at his apartment complex. It was close to 1 am, and it had been a long night. A long, painful and wonderful night, spent at his partner's apartment. She had cooked dinner for him, spaghetti this time, not macaroni and cheese. They had exchanged witty banter and laughter over the meal and red wine. After dinner, he had convinced her to watch _North by Northwest_, an old Hitchcock film about a man being mistaken for a government agent and chased across the country. Booth had expected to hear Brennan's strong opinions on the movie at the end, but when he glanced over at her, he found that she had dozed off quietly on the couch. Before he left, he gently laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. He resisted the urge to smooth back her hair, to kiss her on the forehead before he left. He softly whispered "Night, Bones" and closed and locked the door with a gentle click.

It nearly killed him. Leaving her sleeping and vulnerable. He supposed he would've gotten used to it over time, but he hadn't, not yet. Seeley Booth was an alpha male, and a romantic, and what he wanted was to scoop that beautiful, sleeping woman up in his arms, and place her in her bed. And curl up beside her, surrounding her with his arms, fitting her like a puzzle piece. Of course, Booth had his wits about him, and what he _really_ didn't want was to lose his ability to father future children in a well-placed kick from his partner, if he ever pulled something like that. Without her permission. Like he ever would have her permission. Sometimes with Bones he felt like they took two steps forward, and four steps back.

It was getting difficult. And painful, in more than one way. That's why Booth loved his nights there, but they hurt him. He sighed as he turned off the Sequoia. His cell phone trilled its familiar ring.

"Booth."

"Agent Booth, its Cullen. I have something delicate that I need you to look into. It's at the Children's Hospital. The head nurse in the NICU found the father of one of the babies murdered. There. In the NICU. The baby is missing."

"Sir, you want me to get involved in this case in what capacity exactly? Investigating the murder or trying to find the child?"

"Knowing you Booth, I know that you could never separate those two things. Officially, I want you to involve the Jeffersonian, you know, get those squints on board. This won't be one for Dr. Brennan – it's a fresh kill, but the rest of those scientists do good work too."

"Good luck telling Bones she can't be involved—"

"Dr. Brennan can go out in the field with you on this one. She _is_ your partner, after all."

Booth swallowed hard. Partner. Yup, that's what the magnificent Temperance Brennan was to him. Partner, who occupied his thoughts 75% of the time. Who he dreamt about. Whose smell lingered on his clothes after a day with her. Beautiful, that skin, that hair…

"Did you get that Booth?"

"I'm sorry sir, could you repeat that for me?" _Dammit Booth, pay attention, losing yourself in thoughts of Bones and turning yourself on in the process is NOT an effective way to have a conversation with your boss._

"You can go down to the hospital right now. I need you to look at the scene. It would be good for you to wake up the rest of your squints to have them collect whatever they need. Remember Booth, the first 24 hours are crucial in a kidnapping, even more so in this case. The agents at the hospital will brief you on more specific information about the child."

"Okay, sir."

"No mistakes on this one, Booth. I know you are good at what you do – that's why I chose you for this one. You and the squints."

"Thank you sir. I'll head for the hospital now."

()()()()()()

A/N 2: Let me know if you liked it. And if I should continue. Review, please :)


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